Friday, June 13, 2014

INTRODUCING

ELISSA MENAKER

ACTOR AND MODEL HAILING FROM NSW

1Please tell us a little bit about your
background;

A: I was born in Sydney, Australia and have lived
here all my life. My whole family is from Ukraine except for me and my little
cousin. I am a school student who is passionate about modelling, acting, and
helping others with my blog 'Ask Lyss'.

2You are an actor and a model. Have you always wanted to be in entertainment
or what else did you aspire to when you were younger?A: I have always wanted to be an actress for
as long as I can remember. Then I began to watch 'America's/Australia's next
top model' and decided that I wanted to be a model more than an actress. Then
in my early teens presenting began to appeal to me too. So, in short, I've
always wanted to be on camera and in the spotlight ever since I can remember.
On top of all of this I've always wanted to be a psychologist and plan to work
towards getting my degree as soon as I finish school.

3Is anyone else in your family and/or relations in
entertainment?

A: No.

4What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

A: I am a big social butterfly, so I enjoy being around friends, whether it's going to the beach, shopping, lunch and did I mention shopping? Though I also enjoy quiet nights in where I answer questions on my blog and also have some family time.

5Are you formally trained in both skills?

A: Not modelling, but acting yes. I have done acting lessons at school as
well as in NIDA for 4 years.

6What have you acted in?

A: Nothing much. I've done extras work for Hoyts and Disney channel which
was a lot of fun and I am looking for more acting roles now that I realised I
do miss acting.

7What and/or who have you modelled for?

A: I have modelled for:

- Bettina Modelling Agency -

- Alin Fashion -

- The Photo Studio -

I did take a break from modelling due to my hectic school life but I
am back into it and have some exciting shoots coming up with photographers from
all over Australia.

8Have you worked alongside any well-known names?

A: Yes, when I did NIDA we were
supposed to rotate teachers every term,
but my class had Don Christopher (Home and Away, Packed to the Rafters) and we loved him so much we ended up convincing administration to let him teach us every
term for about two years. He focussed on essential acting
skills rather than on a script. He looked
at all of us as individuals so that we would know what we needed to improve and learn how to act
instead of simply putting on a
performance. I credit all my acting ability to him. Also, I worked alongside Naomi Sequiera for a music
video which was a great experience!

9Have you ever been bullied?

A: Yes. In year 8 I was scouted by Bettina Modelling Agency, the word
spread around the school. From then on I was bullied by a few people who
thought that I was not good enough to be a model. They made some jokes about me
and this spread throughout my year. I would say the majority of my year were either picking on me or talking badly about me behind my
back. This led me to become a bully myself due to my incredibly low self-esteem, which
led to more backlash towards me. However, as weird as it sounds I am very glad
this happened because my haters broke me down so much that I had to search
for my beauty and confidence and when I found it, I came back with more
self-esteem then I've ever had. I attribute my self-esteem to being bullied and
attribute my empathy and compassion to realising that being a bully is just a
reflection of how you feel about yourself.

10Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel
the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat
this problem?

A: I think there could always be more
programs and workshops about how to deal
with bullies, but lots of schools (like mine) are increasingly becoming less tolerant of bullying which is great.

11What further do you feel the above could do to
either decrease this problem hugely, or eliminate it altogether?

A: I feel like people with low-self esteem are either the ones to become
bullies, or the ones who feel the biggest effects of bullying. So I think
schools around the world should focus on teaching students how to increase
their self-esteem and feel happy and confident within their own skin. This is
what I aim to help with with the
influence of my blog.

12On a personal level, what would you like to do to
help in the fight against bullying?

A: I would like to
help increase the self-esteem of teenagers especially, so that there is less of
a chance of them bullying others due to their insecurities and less chance of
them feeling the effects of bullying due to their confidence being vulnerable.

13What advice would you give to someone who is
currently suffering through this nightmare?

A: Keep ignoring the bullies - do not retaliate and soon they will get
bored of picking on you. Stay strong and talk to someone like a parent,
teacher, hotline - anyone! This doesn't make you weak. There are millions of
people in your exact position so don't feel alone and isolated. Stay strong and
hold your head up high - it gets better
and trust me, it will make you stronger.

14What is on your agenda for the rest of 2014?

A: Finish year 12 and study hard for exams. On top of this I'll be
answering questions on my blog and booking modelling and acting jobs in my
spare time!

15Are you professionally managed or do you
represent yourself?

A: Both. My agency is only an extras agency so I rely on myself to book
modelling jobs.

16Do you have a special message you would like to
share with the world?

A: If you need any advice about bullying or any other issues, or simply
want someone to talk to, feel free to inbox me on my website! www.asklyss.com

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About Me

Lannah was born in South Australia in 1955, and raised on "Pitcairn Station". Her primary education was provided by School of the Air and correspondence lessons, followed by boarding school in Adelaide. Later, she went on to hold a variety of positions in Adelaide and then in other states.
After travelling overseas she returned home via Western Australia and decided to settle there. Lannah and her husband, Stuart, have two daughters, Robyn and Fiona, both in their twenties.
Lannah works full time. She is passionate about her family, animals, the outback of Australia, and writing, among many other interests.